Pages

Monday, August 30, 2010

50 Ways to Use Preserves, Jams, Jellies, Marmalades & Fruit Butters

If you opened my fridge right now (please don’t!) you’d find that 1/3 is stuffed with condiments, 1/3 is filled with fruit, and the rest of the space is devoted to veggies, meats, and dairy. I am a self proclaimed condiment queen, I love to make sauces, dressings, salsas, dips, spreads, gravies, and preserves. So its no surprise they consume so much fridge (and cabinet) space. To me, these things can make or break a dish by adding the perfect complement of flavor, whether its a bit of tang, spice, or sweetness.

Many of you may have wandered how in the holy heck I was planning on using the multitude of things in my canning inventory...to tell you the truth I was starting to wonder myself!So I racked my brain for a couple of days, got creative, went crazy, and finally made this list. I even scoured the internet and found links to provide a few examples and recipes. Enjoy!

1. preserves make a great crepe filling, raspberry crepes with nutella anyone?2. swirl preserves, jams, and fruit butters into plain yogurt (or applesauce!) for a custom flavor3. use jam or fruit butter as a glaze on a fresh fruit tart, how about an apricot tart glazed with apricot honey butter...4. mix jam with cream cheese and use as a filling for stuffed french toast5. glaze a ham with pineapple and apricot jams

6. make these jammy oatmeal crumb bars (photo via Blue Ridge Baker)7. spoon warm preserves over ice cream, pair with a brownie or sponge cake, and top with chopped nuts and whipped cream for a decadent sundae8. use preserves and fruit butters to top off a plain cheesecake9. mango butter (or any fruit butter, really) makes a delicious cake filling, its a great way to liven up plain yellow cake10. turn a pint of sweet potato butter into sweet potato pie by adding an egg to make the filling set

11. make berry lemonade12. use a spoonful or two of your favorite preserve in a fruit smoothie to add sweetness and fruit flavor13. use a bit of jam to fill a cupcake (cut out a round peg from the top, fill with jam, replace the cake, and frost for a sweet surprise)14. make this baked brie appetizer15. peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (duh)16. spoon warm preserves over pancakes for breakfast (or dinner!)17. fill a macaron with jam18. if you're running low on fruit for mixed berry mojitos, add a bit of blackberry or raspberry jam and omit the sugar19. make a fruity vinaigrette (photo via Allrecipes.com)20. try this tasty flavored margarita21. fill a kolache, empanada, turnover, or danish or sweet roll with jam (hey, thats 5!)22. hot jam breakfast sandwiches23. jelly doughnuts anyone?24. make thumbprint cookies25. homemade pop tarts are gaining popularity26. add a tablespoon of hot pepper jelly to stir fry just before serving

27. make sweet peach bbq sauce, combine 2 parts peach jam and 1 part bbq sauce... OR try a spicy pineapple variation: substitute pineapple jam for the peach jam and add fresh minced jalapeno pepper for a spicy sweet sauce that’s delicious on chicken wings.28. how about some fruity, frothy punch?29. these sound delicious...fruit preserve chocolate truffles30. hide a layer of jam in a meringue pie, how about raspberry or strawberry with lemon meringue? (spread the jam on the prebaked crust, freeze for a few minutes to set the jam and then add filling) ooh or swirl blackberry jam into key lime pie! how gorgeous would that be?31. try this devilish steak sauce32. make fancy flavored butter or cream cheese (2 parts room temperature butter with 1 part preserves, beat until thoroughly combined, chill if desired)33. how about some spicy sweet jezebel sauce?31. make a jam cake

32. bake a bit of jam into muffins, try these or these (photo via Good Things Catered)33. turn those yummy drippings from pork or chicken into a delicious pan sauce with a cup of preserves and a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar (try cherry or strawberry preserves, season with salt & pepper to taste)34. fold in 1/3 - 1/2 c of preserves into your favorite brownie mix for a new twist on the traditional35. hot pepper jelly (or any preserve really) spooned over a block of cream cheese and served with crackers is always a hit36. make sweet & sour sauce (puree, then bring to boil, stir until thick) ¼ c peach preserves ¼ c apricot preserves 5 tsp white vinegar 1 ½ tsp cornstarch ½ tsp soy sauce ½ tsp yellow mustard pinch of garlic powder 4 tsp water37. spoon your favorite jam over baked apples or pears38. make a fresh fruit pizza, use a bit of jam for the sauce, add fruit and sprinkle with ricotta or bits of cream cheese, bake!39. lil' smokies swimming in equal parts warm grape jelly and chili sauce, strange but good40. have a tea party, serve your favorite tea blends, crumpets, and an assortment of preserves41. have a tasting party, put out a cheese plate with jam pairings, crackers, and wine42. how about a grilled cheese with hot pepper jelly?43. combine hot pepper jelly with a bit of mayo and horseradish for a unique sandwich spread44. add preserves to a sweet noodle kugel

45. make this chicken tagine (photo from Gourmet)46. thin jam with a little water and warm to make a syrup, poke holes in a still warm cake, pour syrup over the top to infuse the cake with flavor47. try an orange marmalade ale48. fold preserves into fruit fluff desserts, like this one49. layer preserves in a trifle with fresh fruit, pudding, and whipped cream50. oh yeah, and you can spread it on toast!

I wish I had as many uses for pickles and relishes... I’ll have to think hard on that one. Tell me, how do you like to use your home canned goods?

13 comments:

What amazing ideas! Love 'em. My kids like to use my olallieberry preserves on waffles. Sometimes I add a spoonful of jam to iced tea. I've been loving my blackberry-peach jam over chocolate ice cream. But you've got some fantastic ideas here I'd never thought of. Thanks so much for sharing.

Thank you so much for these.. I canned my first batch of blackberry jelly this summer.. did five more after that.. besides giving some away to friends and family.. we needed some ideas on what else to make with it.. this helps a ton:-)

I used some of these preserves as ice cream toppings and share with others who loves and old school preserve, jam, but still wants that all natural taste. What advice would you give a person who likes to create their own preserves with unique combinations.